There are some lessons that the Minnesota Vikings just shouldn’t be learning in week 17 of the season, especially in a building that you play in every season. The turf looked rough on the television broadcast and it played out as such.
From early on in the game, players were slipping and the unlucky plays were happening. Justin Jefferson was slipping on the field and did so on the play that Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander did the Griddy right in front of him.
The biggest question is: why are the Vikings struggling with cleats in week 17 when they play at Lambeau Field every single year?
Head coach Kevin O’Connell said that it was “strongly recommended” that the Vikings wear seven-stud cleats to provide better traction. Unfortunately, quite a few players didn’t wear them and were seen changing into them, including Jefferson.
I understand there is something to not being able to force players to wear certain gear, but this raises a cause for concern. O’Connell shouldn’t have allowed this to happen, especially with defensive coordinator Ed Donatell having worked in Green Bay for a significant amount of time. Saying that you aren’t going to force people to wear a certain cleat feels like an excuse and that won’t fly for very long.
Sure, the Vikings didn’t lose because of the cleats, but it didn’t do anything to help stop the downward spiral of the team on Sunday.
It's NOT the reason the Vikings lost, but the number of players who slipped on the field at Lambeau was notable. Coach Kevin O'Connell said it was "strongly recommended" that players wear 7-stud cleats but "you're never going to force people to wear those things." (1/3)
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) January 2, 2023